Star Trek or Star Wars... what will it be?

(Mods: no copyright worries here. I wrote this.)

Inspired by this editorial:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,6903,1028186,00.html

by Ed Vulliamy



There's a disturbing trend that's affecting Americans and non-Americans alike. The thrill is gone form many these days, thanks due exclusively to the Bush cabal and PNAC.

You know, there are two primary types of futuristic scenarios in science fiction. There's the post-apocalyptic, iron-fisted empire version similar to that of 'Star Wars', and the 'Star-Trek' styled version. In the first case, the Star Wars case, there's a massive despot that controls 99% of the resources, and people are reduced to rebels and scavangers trying to stay alive in a hostile, despotic environment. In the second, the world has developed into a paradise, where the main goal is not wealth, but betterment, enlightenment, diplomacy and so on.

This, of course, is allegorical to the differences between Democracy and Despot. Neocon facists have been eroding our democracy for years under the guise of moral superiority, and while I hope in my heart that we manage to create the 'Star Trek' future, in my mind's eye I see the post-apocalyptic nightmare brought about by America's gradual descent from democracy to despot, I see the parallels to the 'Star Wars' style.

Despots are never run by 'The People'. Invariably, they are run by those with the wealth and power. While this is a 'form follows function' type of relationship, it never works out to be beneficial for 'The People'. The closest a despot can come to being a 'good thing' is what is referred to as a 'Enlightened Despot' (Seemingly and oxymoron, I know), more of a myth than a viable politcal model. Yet it is just this type of government that PNAC seeks to define.

Call it 'Compassionate Conservativism'.

This erosion of democracy, while taking place over the course of the past 150 years, has reached a nexus with the deceitful and devisive cabal, a cabal that continues to seek a stranglehold on the power of The People. Sadly, this is not about politics. This is about ideology. And that's what makes it such a perilous venture. To play politics is one thing. To seek a coup d'etat goes well beyond the line of simple politics, a statement of the obvious, by definition.

And this is what we've been reduced in a matter of two-and-a-half years...

Restate the initial premise: A democratic government is one of The People, by The People, for The People.

Restate the obvious: This statement is now in default. What was once seen as a creedo has become grounds for being labeled (however ironically or hypocritically) as unpatriotic. Herin lies the flaw in the logic. There are others areas, obviously, but this is where the 'Black-is-White' logic begins.

Not a government of the People, but a government of the Elite.

Not a government for the People, but a government for the Corporate.

Not a government by the People, but a government by rule of Force.

I try and maintain the concept that the planet could evolve into a place where people pursue enlightenment with the same zeal that they now pursue financial gain. America has not been such a place for many years, if ever. Yet the concept remained: someday we would create that great society. Because we were bound together in such great number and with such massive resources, we could create a society based on erudition, on the highest principles of humanity.

High hopes. Indeed. The idyllic vision of Utopia. Perhaps never reachable, for logistical reasons, but cerainly something to work towards.

Though I think, further, I know we have taken a wrong turn and are heading down a destructive path to perdition, to be sure. Yet it is NOT in God's hands, as some may have you believe. It is in OUR hands. In the Power of We, the People.

We create the reality around us, from a collective standpoint, at least.

And given that, we can create any reality we desire.

Really. I'm not just saying that. If you don't believe me, think about it. If, one day, everyone in the world decided not to fight, there would be no war. Just like that. And while I'll admit that given the current predisposition of the world populace this is unlikely, the concept itself is fundamentally sound.

Action is the Word become Light. Action on thought creates reality, to a large degree. Not entirely, mind you, tragedies are part of life, but so many these days are entirely avoidable, so easily deescalated with a modicum of diplomacy.

Detente is a beautiful thing, as the saying goes.

What we have happening these days, however, is not detente, but racketeering and extortion, at best; and a power grab at the jugular of American democracy, at worst.

And you have to wonder... what reality will the People choose? Will it be Star Trek or Star Wars?